Biopsy samples have been obtained in a variety of ways in various medical procedures using a variety of devices. An exemplary biopsy device is the MAMMOTOME® brand device from Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Biopsy devices may be used under stereotactic guidance, ultrasound guidance, MRI guidance, or otherwise.
Further exemplary biopsy devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,822, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Automated Biopsy and Collection of Soft Tissue,” issued Jun. 18, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,544, entitled “Control Apparatus for an Automated Surgical Biopsy Device,” issued Jul. 11, 2000; U.S. Pub. No. 2003/0109803, entitled “MRI Compatible Surgical Biopsy Device,” published Jun. 12, 2003; U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0118048, entitled “Remote Thumbwheel for a Surgical Biopsy Device,” published May 24, 2007; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/869,736, entitled “Biopsy System,” filed Dec. 13, 2006; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/874,792, entitled “Biopsy Sample Storage,” filed Dec. 13, 2006; and U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/942,785, entitled “Revolving Tissue Sample Holder for Biopsy Device,” filed Nov. 21, 2007. The disclosure of each of the above-cited U.S. patents, U.S. Patent Application Publications, U.S. Provisional Patent Applications, and U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application is incorporated by reference herein.
In some settings, it may be desirable to mark the location of a biopsy site for future reference. For instance, one or more markers may be deposited at a biopsy site before, during, or after a tissue sample is taken from the biopsy site. Exemplary marker deployment tools include the MAMMOMARK®, MICROMARK®, and CORMARK® brand devices from Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Further exemplary devices and methods for marking a biopsy site are disclosed in U.S. Pub. No. 2005/0228311, entitled “Marker Device and Method of Deploying a Cavity Marker Using a Surgical Biopsy Device,” published Oct. 13, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,996,433, entitled “Imageable Biopsy Site Marker,” issued Feb. 7, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 6,993,375, entitled “Tissue Site Markers for In Vivo Imaging,” issued Jan. 31, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,063, entitled “Tissue Site Markers for In Vivo Imaging,” issued May 16, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,417, entitled “Methods for Marking a Biopsy Site,” issued Jun. 12, 2007; U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,957, entitled “Devices for Defining and Marking Tissue,” issued May 16, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,055, entitled “Devices for Marking and Defining Particular Locations in Body Tissue,” issued May 8, 2001; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,904, entitled “Subcutaneous Cavity Marking Device and Method,” issued Apr. 16, 2002. The disclosure of each of the above-cited U.S. Patents and U.S. Patent Application Publications is incorporated by reference herein.
It may be desirable to deploy markers from a cannula type deployer into the biopsy site, such as a flexible tubular deployer. The marker should not unintentionally fall out of the deployer, and the force to deploy the marker should not be excessive.
In some instance, the biopsy marker disposed within the deployer may vary in size (possibly because of manufacturing variations, temperature, or humidity). For instance, in some cases a marker may be formed in part or in whole of a material that swells or otherwise changes size due to changes in temperature and/or humidity.
Applicant has recognized the desirability of providing a biopsy marker delivery device that accommodates markers which may vary in size over time, or which may vary from marker to marker due to manufacturing variations.